


Love Will Come Around

by adiwriting



Category: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)
Genre: Christmas Fluff, M/M, Minor Arturo and Rosa
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-06
Updated: 2020-12-06
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:07:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,755
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27916495
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/adiwriting/pseuds/adiwriting
Summary: Michael is fully prepared to spend his Christmas alone in his bunker, tinkering on whatever project he can find to distract him. But a phone call from a friend inspires him to change his plans.
Relationships: Michael Guerin/Alex Manes
Comments: 59
Kudos: 147





	Love Will Come Around

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ALovelyLitwit](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ALovelyLitwit/gifts).



> A Christmas present for Brooke, who requested some Michael+Liz friendship. 
> 
> Thanks Brooke for always having my back in this crazy fandom and for all the beautiful words you gift us with <3 I hope that this is as cheesy as those Hallmark movies you love!

Willie Nelson’s Classic Christmas Album plays in the background as Michael sits at his drafting table, pouring over formulas and designs for a new pacemaker for Max. The old one he made is still working just as well as it always has, but Michael figures that having a backup is always a good idea. The last one he made was a rush job. Works like it’s designed to and hasn’t given Max any problems, but Michael is sure he can do better when he’s not under a time crunch. 

His cell phone rings and when he sees that the incoming call is from Isobel, he ignores the call. He already told her that he’s fine and he’s annoyed that she doesn’t believe him. Just because she and Max went to Colorado with their parents for the holidays doesn’t mean that Michael is going to fall apart. It’s just Christmas. What does he care if he doesn’t have somewhere to go watch Home Alone while drinking spiked eggnog? It’s a stupid tradition that they’ve outgrown anyways. Well past time they abandoned it. 

Michael is perfectly content spending Christmas Eve working in his bunker. 

He takes a swig of the warm beer sitting on his table and returns to work, looking at the designs, determined to find a way to increase battery life without sacrificing other important design features. Perhaps if he used an alternative to lithium? He’s been trying to recreate the biotech of the ship, and thinks if he could do so, it would mean that the pacemaker could generate its own electricity and bypass the need for a battery altogether. 

His phone rings again. He rolls his eyes, assuming that it’s Isobel, but is only mildly surprised to see that Liz is calling him. 

“If you want to know how Max is doing, you can just call him,” Michael says in lieu of a proper greeting. He barely looks down at the video screen long enough to see that she’s in a lab. 

So she didn’t come home for Christmas, which makes Max fleeing to Colorado because he suddenly had the urge to go skiing with his parents rather pointless. He wouldn’t have run into Liz around town anyways. They could be arguing over the correct way to cook a prime rib right now… Not that Michael cares about that. 

“Merry Christmas to you too, Mikey,” Liz says, only mildly offended if the tone of her voice is any indication. 

“Feliz Navidad and all that,” he says. “Why aren’t you home?” 

He would have thought Liz would have come home for Rosa’s first Christmas back. Arturo has always made a big deal out of Christmas, and if the explosion of tinsel at the Crashdown is any indication, this year he’s going all out. 

“Why are you in your bunker? And can you at least move your phone so I can see your face. I didn’t FaceTime you so I could stare at a cement ceiling.” 

Michael rolls his eyes and moves his phone to rest against a pile of books. He gives her a sarcastic smile. 

“Oh, what’s that you’re working on?” she asks, ignoring his sass. 

He holds up the design he’s working through. “Working on a pacemaker.” 

Liz’s face drops. “Did something happen? You guys didn’t call me—” 

Michael holds up a hand, hoping to wave off whatever rant she’s about to go on that will likely slip into Spanish. He’s too many beers in to be able to translate clearly. 

“Relax, Ortecho. He’s fine,” he says. 

“Good.” She breathes a sigh or relief. 

“You didn’t answer the question,” he reminds her. “Why aren’t you home?” 

“I couldn’t get the time off of work,” she says, and he doesn’t need superpowers to tell that she’s lying. 

“Sure,” he nods, telling himself that he doesn’t care. He’s not going to get into the middle of whatever Max and Liz have going on. It’s none of his business. After all, who is he to give romantic advice? He’s 0 for 2 right now. 

“I couldn’t,” she says defensively. 

“Okay.” 

“Why are you in your bunker instead of off celebrating?” she asks, changing the subject. 

“With who?” 

“Max and Isobel? Maria? Alex? Anyone?” 

Michael grimaces and tries not to let her see it. He’s been perfectly content to sit down here working in his bunker. Science relaxes him. After all, wouldn’t the perfect Christmas present to himself be to crack the secret codes of the universe and finally figure out how to reverse engineer the biotech of the ship? He doesn’t need that other stuff… But hearing all of his loved ones names listed out like that and knowing that each of them would rather spend Christmas without him? It hurts. 

He goes back to staring at his design. 

“If you want to hear about Max, you can call him. You don’t need to use a third party,” he tells her, refusing to look up. 

“I called to check up on  _ you _ ,” she says. 

“Aww, that would be sweet if I believed you,” he says, looking back up at her. “Just ask what you want to ask.”

She rolls her eyes. “Fine. I want to know how he’s doing. He won’t return any of my calls.” 

“Well, you broke his heart. How do you think he’s doing?” 

He doesn’t bother pulling any punches. Liz is tough and doesn’t need to be coddled. 

Except, when he looks at her face, he can tell she’s about to cry and he realizes that he’s being a jerk. It’s the holidays and she’s all alone. Of course she’s sad. He gets that.

“Sorry. I’m not trying to be an asshole.” 

“I didn’t want to leave without him. I invited him to come with me. Then…” 

“Then he blew up your lab and it wasn’t so happily ever after anymore?” he fills in for her. 

He can empathize with her, even if he doesn’t agree with her research. Max made a unilateral decision that blew up her entire life — literally. He knows what that’s like. Alex was repeatedly making unilateral decisions without him. 

“Even after he destroyed my lab, I wanted him to come with me and he didn’t. He didn’t even fight for me. I mean, he spent a decade loving me from afar and he just let me go?” 

There are tears falling down her face and Michael’s heart aches at her pain, knowing it far too well. He remembers the confusion… Struggling to understand why he wasn’t worth fighting for... How somebody could claim to love him and still leave him… 

“Sometimes I think he only ever loved the idea of me,” she says, her voice breaking. 

“I don’t think that’s true.” 

“No?” She sounds hopeful, even as her voice cracks. 

“Listen, you’re cool and all, Ortecho, but he’s still my brother. Even if he’s an idiot. If he’s not answering your call, I’m not going to tattle on him. Keep trying. He’ll answer eventually,” he reassures her. 

“And if he doesn’t?” she asks. 

“Max loved you for a decade after you ran off—” 

“After you ran me off,” she clarifies, giving him a playful glare. 

“The point is, he kept loving you even after you were gone. Even when it would have been easier to move on. Even when he had other options. He’ll forgive you,” he says. 

“Forgive me?” she asks, looking offended. The fire returns to her eyes and he can see a rant building in her. He grabs the beer off the table and takes another swig, willing the effects to hit him quickly. “He’s the one that should be sorry.” 

“Really?” he says with a laugh. “That why  _ you _ keep calling  _ him _ ? You know they say it takes a real man to realize he’s made a mistake but an even better one to try and make it better.” 

“I’m not a man,” she says, raising a glass to the screen that he previously hadn’t noticed before. Alone on Christmas and drinking whiskey. That won’t end well for her. 

“Nope, you’re a girl,” he says. “You aren’t supposed to need some relationship Yoda to tell you what to do. You’re supposed to get it.” 

“That’s sexist,” she informs him. “And I’m not coming to you for relationship advice.” 

Michael raises his eyebrow at her. Isn’t she though? Isn’t that exactly why she called him, sad and alone at Christmas? 

“I hate you,” she says but it lacks any bite. 

“Listen, Max will forgive you,” he assures her. His brother is a lot of things, but he’s not one to hold a grudge. 

“How can you know that?” she asks. 

“Because I too am in love with an emotionally unavailable idiot who can’t admit they are wrong,” he says with a bitter smile. 

He’d been very purposefully trying not to think about Alex today. They don’t have many memories together from those ten years Alex spent on one deployment after another… but they still managed to spend a handful of Christmases together. 

Michael can still remember the way his heart jumped out of his chest coming home from Isobel’s house on Christmas Eve to see Alex standing outside of his airstream. He can still feel his cold fingers move across his cheek as he greeted Michael with a kiss. Still hears Alex’s laughter as they tried to cook Christmas cookies on his small skillet. But any joy he had at falling asleep in Alex’s arms those handful of leaves Alex managed to get were always marred by an empty bed on Christmas morning. 

“How are things going with Alex?” Liz asks. 

“They aren’t,” he says pointedly, hoping to avoid this conversation. He doesn’t want to talk about it. 

“I thought he broke up with Forrest?” 

Michael’s heart twists painfully and his hands curl into fists as every instinct in him wants to lash out with his powers. He’s worked too hard on the projects in this bunker to destroy them and his control over his powers has always been strong, even if they regularly push to be released whenever he feels pain. Some deeply ingrained biological response to protect himself, he’s always assumed. However, there’s no protecting himself against the emotional pain that has always accompanied thoughts of Alex Manes. 

“And that magically means we’re together?” he asks, hoping she’ll drop it. 

Yes, Alex and Forrest broke up nearly a month ago. And when Michael had first heard the news, he’d assumed that meant that the door was open for them to get back together again. But then nothing happened. In fact, Alex was reaching out to him less than he’d been when he was dating Forrest.

“Well…” Liz gives him a knowing look and he wants to throw the phone against the wall. 

“We spent 12 years torturing each other, it’s not just going to fix itself because he broke up with his boyfriend,” he says. 

“So then why are you so sure Max will forgive me?” 

Despite the way his heart is aching, he can’t help but smile like some lovesick idiot. You’d think he’d have learned better. “Because I’ve always forgiven Alex, and I always will. I love him.”

Liz smiles at him softly, tilting her head to the side a bit like he’s some cute puppy in one of those YouTube videos. “Does he know that?” 

“I didn’t call you for relationship advice, Ortecho. You called me,” he reminds her. 

“Fine, fine,” she says, holding up her hands in surrender. “Want to tell me what you’re stuck on with the pacemaker? Maybe I can help?” 

“Are you going to tell me what you’re working on?” he asks. He’s been eyeing the lab she’s in, but despite all the fancy equipment, there’s nothing giving him any clue as to the progress of her work. 

“Can’t. It’s classified,” she says. 

“So’s this.” 

She gives him a doubtful look, but when he shrugs and refuses to give her any more information, she drops it. “You know, you could go to the Crashdown for dinner. My dad keeps it open for the people who have nowhere else to go.” 

“I’m busy,” he informs her. 

“You’re not busy, you’re distracting yourself,” she says. “The pacemaker will hold until tomorrow. Come on, you shouldn’t be alone on Christmas.” 

Michael nods, she’s probably right. He has been distracting himself because the thought of spending Christmas alone in his small airstream eating dry cereal because he’d forgotten to go to the grocery store and now everything in this town is closed? It’s super depressing. 

“Why didn’t you come home?” 

“I couldn’t get the time off work,” she says. 

“And the real reason?” 

She doesn’t respond right away, but he waits her out. He watches as she pours herself another glass of whiskey. Eventually she sighs deeply and responds. “I think I made a mistake moving here and I’m not ready for everyone to say I told you so.” 

“I wouldn’t say I told you so.” 

“Really?” she asks, eyebrows raised and tone hopeful. 

“Not in those exact words,” he teases and she snorts. 

“Of course not,” she says with a fond roll of her eyes. “You really should go to the Crashdown. My Christmas is a lost cause, but you could still save yours.” 

Perhaps he could, though Michael isn’t sure that a night with Arturo would really fill the hole in his heart, no matter how great the man is. 

“You could quit,” he tells her. “If you got in the car right now, you’d be home by Christmas morning.” 

“I have a contract,” she informs him, but he can tell she’s considering it. He doesn’t push her though. It’s really not any of his business what she does with her life. 

He glances at the clock. It’s nearly 10pm. 

“The kitchen closes at 10, I won’t even make dinner if I go now,” he starts to protest, but she waves him off. 

“My dad will keep the kitchen open for you. He won’t be going to bed for a while anyways. We always light candles at midnight and sing a song,” she says, her eyes growing misty eyed. 

“Okay,” he agrees, shutting off the light on his drafting table and standing up. 

“Merry Christmas Mikey,” she says, blowing him a kiss that he pretends to be annoyed at, but secretly appreciates. 

“You too, Ortecho.” 

****

When Michael pulls into a parking spot in front of the Crashdown, he’s surprised to see Alex’s car already in a spot. He’d assumed that Alex would be spending the holiday with Greg. Seeing his car makes him debate turning around and going back home, but it’s too late. He’s been caught by Arturo, who sees him through the window and waves him on in. 

Michael gets out of the truck and heads inside, waving sheepishly when he steps through the door. The only people inside are Rosa, Alex, and Arturo. 

“Uh, sorry, I know it’s late,” he says awkwardly. “Liz said you might still have the kitchen open?” 

Arturo smiles at him kindly. “Of course. Come sit down. Rosa will get you something to drink.” 

Arturo heads back to the kitchen, leaving the three of them alone. 

“It’s Christmas and I’m off the clock. I’m not getting you anything. But you can help yourself,” Rosa smirks at him, waving behind the counter to where Alex is already standing, pouring himself a glass of something.

“Here, you can have this,” Alex says, handing his cup to Michael.

Alex sounds about as awkward as Michael feels and he isn’t sure if that makes him feel better or worse. 

“I, uh, thought you’d be celebrating with Greg or something?” Michael says, taking the glass from Alex and sitting down at the counter. 

“He’s with my mom and…” Alex shrugs and Michael doesn’t need him to finish that thought. It’s been years since they’ve had any meaningful conversation on this topic, but if Alex’s body language is any indication, his feelings on his mother are still just as complicated as they were back in high school. 

“What about Flint?” he asks. Last Alex talked to him, he was still on some ridiculous quest to redeem his brother, despite the genocide he actively participated in. 

“Court-martialed.” 

Michael’s eyebrows shoot up, shocked. He hadn’t heard any of this and wonders when it all happened. 

“Yeah, the asshole is looking at life in some military prison,” Rosa says gleefully. 

Alex looks less than thrilled. Michael should probably apologize and make sure Alex is okay, but he’s with Rosa on this one. Flint kidnapped Alex and forced him to make a bomb. And if that wasn’t enough to make Michael hate him, there was the little fact that, oh yeah, Flint worked at Caulfield where his mom and all of his people were murdered. 

“Flint’s being charged with conspiracy, reckless endangerment, unlawful detention, kidnapping, assault, arson… and about 15 other counts.”

Michael shifts uncomfortably. As much as he wants Flint to answer for his crimes, it was Michael’s understanding that couldn’t happen without the reason for all of Flint’s crimes coming to light. 

“So, uh, the Army found out about what happened?” he asks. 

Alex shakes his head. “They don’t know about you guys,” Alex assures him, moving to sit next to him at the counter. 

“How do you know that?” 

“I checked the records,” Alex says. “As far as the Army and Air Force are concerned, Project Shepard was ordered to be closed down and my father disobeyed direct orders to do so with Flint’s help. They continued to run Caulfield, falsifying multiple documents along the way. Then, a year ago, when Caulfield was blown up, my father and Flint lost it and went rouge. They conspired to commit terrorism believing they were going to find remaining aliens that the military does not believe exist.” 

“How can you be sure?” 

“I read the psych eval they did on Flint after he started claiming that an alien tried to kill him and his actions were justified,” Alex says. “They think he suffered a psychotic break.”

“How are you doing?” Michael asks. He cannot bring himself to say he’s sorry, but he can at least check in on Alex. 

Alex shrugs. “Honestly, I’m just trying not to think about it.” 

Michael nods.

They fall into a slightly more comfortable, but still awkward silence while Rosa hums along to whatever Christmas music that’s playing and draws in her sketchbook. Arturo is singing loudly in the kitchen. 

Michael’s phone vibrates and when he pulls it out of his pocket, there’s a text from Liz. When he opens it, there’s a single picture of a plane ticket. A moment later, Rosa’s phone goes off and she looks at it, a wide smile breaking out. 

“Papi! Liz is coming home!” Rosa yells, standing up and moving into the kitchen quickly. 

Michael smiles to himself, happy to see that Liz decided to take his advice after all. 

“At least somebody will be home for Christmas,” Alex mumbles to himself. 

“What do you mean?” Michael asks and Alex quickly blushes and waves him off. 

“I’m sure if you wanted to be with Greg, you could still go,” Michael says. “It’s not  _ that _ far.” 

“That’s not what I meant,” Alex says quietly, staring into his drink. 

“Is this about your dad?” Michael asks, confused. He’d have thought that Alex would be thrilled to finally have a holiday free from the ever looming shadow of his father. 

Alex shakes his head, then sits up straight steeling himself for something, before turning to face Michael. 

“I never really liked Christmas. Never felt like I belonged anywhere,” Alex explains and Michael can empathize with that. “But there was one year that I thought I found a home.” 

Michael raises his eyebrow, waiting for him to continue. 

“I was on leave. About to ship out to Iraq. And uh… this guy, he made me gingerbread cookies on a skillet because he didn’t have an oven.”

Michael’s heart pulls and he quickly bites the inside of his cheek, willing himself not to react. Not to hope. Because hope is for suckers and Michael has been in this position too many times to count. His heart can’t afford to read too much into Alex’s words. Not until Alex actually says them. 

“And he strung up Christmas lights so it would feel festive. And we sat out by the fire under a million blankets, watching the stars and talking all night. And right before sunrise, we made love before he fell asleep. And I remember thinking as I was watching him, that I had finally found my home. The place where I belonged. I was so mad that I had to leave, and I couldn’t stand to tell him. Because if I had had to look him in the eyes and say goodbye, I wouldn’t have ever left. I’d have gone AWOL and been court-martialed. So I kissed him and I left…” 

“Alex—” Michael says, but doesn’t even know what to say. His words are incredibly sweet, but they aren’t saying anything. Not really. He’s allowed himself to get hung up talking about the past before, never actually getting a promise for the future. He can’t make that mistake again. He can’t assume that Alex wants one thing, only to find out later that he doesn’t. 

“You’re the only person I ever want to be with on Christmas,” Alex says. “You’re the only person I ever want to be with on any day.” 

“What does that mean?” Michael asks. 

Alex hooks his ankle around Michael’s stool and pulls it closer to him. 

“I guess it depends on what you want it to mean.”

Michael shakes his head. “I’m notoriously bad at assuming things about us and putting myself out there. I don’t know if I can do that again, Alex.” 

Alex nods slowly. 

“How about I tell you what I know?” Michael agrees and Alex continues, “I know that we’ve had a lot of pent up feelings towards each other for years that made it difficult to be together. I know that my father hurt you because you were with me. I know that I was mad at you for not being there when I shipped off. And that I blamed you for not stopping me from enlisting in the first place. I know that I was angry that Maria was able to give you things that I couldn’t. And that even after that stupid night we don’t talk about, you chose her instead of me.” 

Michael pushes his stool away from Alex and avoids looking him in the face as his stomach drops listening to Alex’s confessions. He feels like an idiot, because, just for a moment, he’d thought Alex was going to tell him that he loved him. 

Michael moves to stand up, but Alex grabs onto his wrist to stop him, and despite everything, Michael has never been able to deny Alex anything. So he sits back down, still refusing to look at Alex. 

“But I also know that I was scared to try before, so I always looked for reasons to run. I said hurtful things to you and about you to make myself feel less guilty for leaving you behind, but it never worked.”

Michael stares pointedly at the menu on the wall, wondering what exactly is in a Cosmic Christmas Combo. He’s determined not to react to whatever Alex says. He might not be able to save his heart, but he can at least try and save what little is left of his pride. 

“I know that I cried in the bathroom every night of basic training because I missed you so much. I know that I kept a picture of you in my pocket during every deployment, even with Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. I know that when I lost my leg and was delirious with pain, my men told me I kept calling out for you.” 

Michael turns to look at Alex, surprised to see that there are tears in his eyes. 

“I know that I never felt more at home than when I’m with you,” Alex says, reaching out for Michael’s hand, and Michael doesn’t pull away. 

“I know that I broke up with Forrest because even when I was with him, I was only ever thinking about you,” he says. “And I know that if I had a time machine, I would go back in time to that morning Isobel interrupted us, and I’d have let you tell her about us.” 

“Really? You wouldn’t, like, try to save your leg or something?” he asks, his voice cracking a bit under the weight of all the emotion he’s trying to contain. 

“I’d rather save my heart,” Alex admits, squeezing his hand. 

Michael holds his breath, begging for the next words out of Alex’s mouth to be the words he’s waited to hear for years. He won’t survive it otherwise. 

“I love you, Michael and I want to be with you,” Alex says. 

Michael pulls on Alex’s hand and kisses the back of it as tears fill his eyes and threaten to fall. His heart feels like it’s about to explode out of his chest, all while Alex stares at him… waiting. Expectant. He swallows several times, trying to get past the large lump in his throat. But eventually, he manages to speak. 

“I love you too,” he says, dropping Alex’s hand so that he can reach out and pull him in for a kiss. 

And this kiss is so much better than any of their other kisses. This kiss isn’t naive to the troubles they’ll face. It’s not frantic or desperate, knowing their time together is limited. It’s not angry or scared or any of the other million emotions that they’ve kissed each other with. This kiss is new. It’s hopeful, but it’s grounded. Confident. Unrushed. Like they both understand that they’ve got a lifetime of kisses ahead of them. 

When Michael pulls away, Arturo is standing a few feet away with a plate in his hand, looking shocked. Rosa is behind him looking like the cat that got the canary. And for a moment, Michael steals himself for Alex’s reaction. 

“Mr. Ortecho, Rosa, I’m sorry for all the trouble you went through. But Michael and I can’t stay. We’ve got to get home,” Alex says, not even batting an eye at being caught, proof that he really is ready to change. That this time will be different. 

“Sure,” Rosa says, barely containing a laugh. 

Arturo pauses for a moment, looking between the two men before a soft smile breaks out. “Of course, Mijo. I’ll just wrap this up for Miguel.” 

Michael reaches his hand out, tentatively, testing the waters, and once he finds Alex receptive, he places his hand on his hip, enjoying the way that Alex leans into him. They watch as Arturo throws his food into a takeout container and then a bag. When he sets it on the counter, Michael moves for his wallet. 

“Nonsense, put that away,” Arturo says. 

Michael is about to protest, when Arturo holds his hand up. “I know that you’re the one who convinced my Elizabeth to come home. And for that, you’ve earned yourself a free meal.” 

“Thank you,” Michael says, grabbing the bag. 

“Merry Christmas,” Arturo waves at them as they head for the door. 

“Feliz Navidad,” Alex and Michael say in return. 

Michael tugs Alex towards his truck with a promise to come get Alex’s car tomorrow. He wants to sit out by the fire under a thousand blankets and talk about all the things that he knows. Like how he knows that he’ll never love anybody as much as he loves Alex. Or how he never knew kindness until Alex offered him a place to escape the cold desert nights. Or how he too cried for many nights after Alex left for basic training. 

But mostly, he wants to talk about how he knows that Alex is and always will be his home. 

And because he’s feeling so charitable, still riding the high of his kiss with Alex, he pulls out his phone and asks Alex to take a selfie with him. He can’t help but smile at the way Alex hooks his chin over his shoulder for the picture or the way he kisses his neck afterwards, whispering another ‘I love you’ into his ear. 

Michael sends the selfie to Liz, with a single line: Max will come around. Love always does. 


End file.
